Monday, 27 September 2010

After Dalehead last weekend the bad cough and cold really kicked in which meant no running at all until Thursday, where rather foolishly I agreed to reccy leg 2 of Ian Hodgson Relay with Steve Bennett and Carl Bell.
I got a little past the first checkpoint and had to call a stop.
I could hardly breath and had absolutely no chance of carrying on so like a "reet sorry arse" walked of the mountain and got into Steve's car and drove it to hartsop to wait for them to complete the leg.
Rather then wait in the car I had a very very slow jog up to Hayswater to wait for them. It was getting quite dark and with it being an awful night I was getting a little nervous for them, they should of been back ages ago. I started to think that they maybe came off another way when I noticed 2 sodden wet runners coming out off the clag, I should of known........ Steve had got slightly lost!

On Friday night I had planned to go and wait for Clive King on Gt Calva, who was attempting his BGR but decided against it (he wasn't expecting me but I thought it would be funny to jump out on him) as I was still feeling unwell.

On Saturday I was always going to watch a workmate do the Langdale half, and due to another workmate pulling out I had his number and a free place, the only question was could I last the distance without having a coughing fit.I decided I would try but would also walk if things felt bad.
Very pleased to say that things went OK and I finished in 14th in a time of 1.28.

Better still Haz did a brilliant PB and looked really fresh at the end, I think he could easily knock 15 mins off his time too if it was a flat course and he quit smoking!!!!

Haz looking for a cigarette

Happy Haz with me.

On Sunday I got a Phone call off Clive saying that he dropped out at Wasdale, a real shame but, I have no doubt at all that come October next year that he will be at Shap Wells collecting his certificate for the Bob Graham club.

Clive on leg 1 in February

Again Cumbria's premier photographer was at Langdale taking snaps, which can also be found on my links on the right. One problem tho, is that he seems to be enjoying it too much...... will he have the stomach to train and compete again when he is over his mental illness???

Monday, 20 September 2010

Made the most out off the weekend just gone and managed a fell race on both days.

Saturday I did the 3 shires fell race, 12miles and 4000ft of climb. It starts in Little Langdale and visits the tops of Wetherlam, Swirl How, Pike o Blisco and Lingmoor. Three of the 4 tops I had not been on before so Friday night was spent taking bearings with my map of places where I was most likely to get lost.
I normally go quite fast at the start of a race but on this occasion I hung back a bit and settled into the middle of the pack.
The first big climb was Wetherlam and runners started going up the hill side in all directions. 80% of them went up at the first chance they got but I noticed a Keswick runner ignore them all and carried on up along the track a bit, so did I, but at one point I asked myself why in case I lost sight of him ,I would of been lost 20 minutes into the race. Luckily I kept him in my sight and we soon caught another 6 or 7 runners up and eventually got to the path again where the rest of the runners were, I think I made the right choice because we were ahead of other runners who were previously ahead of us.
The climb went on a long time and I was really feeling it, its been a while since I have climbed anything steep and by the time we got to the top I was relieved.

From the summit the running is good and I should of pushed on harder, but with not knowing what lay ahead of me I opted to run at a pace that felt OK, but even at this pace I took a fall on a grass bank, I blamed the fell shoes that I had just purchased from Pete Blends van before the race with the studs sticking in too well.

Before I knew it we were at the 3 shire stone and on to the easier climb of Blisco, which went well but I was aware of a big group coming up from behind so I really did push on up to the summit where I topped out with Gavin Thomas of Kendal who showed me the line down to Blea tarn. (showed me maybe is the wrong words, I followed him)
Once at Blea tarn its only Lingmoor left and whilst Gavin had got ahead of me by about 50 yards I was joined by a Dark Peak runner and a Rossendale runner for the climb, but at this point I was struggling so I faffed about in my bum bag for a drink and by the time I had sorted myself out the 2 other runners were well ahead of me, leaving me to navigate myself of the top.

With my map out I ran along past an old sheepfold or something and then started to descend, but it didnt feel right so I climbed back and ran a bit further until a Settle runner caught me up. He assured me was on the right line and we ran down the zig zagz ( not sure tho if that is the best line tho ) and to the finish together where I cheekily out sprinted him.
Rick Lightfoot won the race.

Good race and with a decent recce maybe I could knock a few minutes off my time, which I think was about 2.20 and 45th position.

5 other Eden runners pitched up for this with Kim Colinson finishing a fantastic 9th.

Eden after the race

Along the route Steve Angus was out taking photographs, and even so he was shouting insults at me it it must be tough on him to be sidelined with his on going bowel problems, after getting himself so fit again, but after saying that his photographs are very good.

On Sunday I did the Dalehead fell race, 4.5 mile and 2210ft of climbing.
Third year I have ran this and this was the wettest yet. Set of with good intentions but soon became apparent that I was going to struggle and when I finally reached the summit decided to hold position and not loose any more places...... Until Pippa Maddams(who was watching at the bottom of the fell) gave me a right bollocking and told me to start running and I would catch the 2 runners in front, I caught one but the other beat me by a second..... the same dark peak guy who was in front of me at the 3 shires the day before.
I think I finished 15th with a 123 for Borrowdale and Jim Davis.

Sunday, 12 September 2010

At this stage last year I had done 29 races.
Up to last weekend I had done 10 this year, 11 if you include my Bob Graham Round.
So no more excuses, I am going to make up for lost time, and this was started last weekend when I went up to Hesket Newmarket for the High Pike fell race. At 7 miles and 1700ft it was all runnable and navigation was straight forward, flagged up and down, my sort of course.

PHOTO TAKEN BY PAUL DOBSON

Not a big turn out due to it been a busy weekend on the fell running scene, but the 20-30? who did turn up all had nothing but good words for the course at the end. I managed 4th position, due to the small turnout!

Sunday I ran 13 mile on the roads
Monday I feebly did a 13 mile bike ride
Tuesday I set off to run 8 hilly miles but cut it short to 5.
Wednesday recced leg 2 of the Ian Hodgson relay

On Saturday I ran in the Great Westmorland Trail Race. 7.5 mile and 1200ft it was again all runnable.
144 folk turned out for this very well organised race and it was won by Morgan Donnelly, setting a new course record along the way. No dizzy heights for me this week though and I settled for 9th place, but more important for me it was a good speed workout (like last week too) which is something im lacking in my training at the moment. Also good to see a few Eden Runners too.

Today I ran 13miles on the road again. Hopefully next weekend I wont be working so I can have good outing on the fells.

Thursday, 2 September 2010

Back from Turkey, where 2 weeks seemed to have flown by. Had a good relaxing time and managed to run about 4 miles every morning - even at 7am it was too hot to put much effort in.
Only bad part was the local mosque playing loud wailing music about 4am on the odd morning. Had a good view of the Taurus mountains but never went near them - Susan would of left me!!!

from dalehead-great view

As always my diet improves 100% when im on holiday - the sunnier climate makes me eat bucket loads of fruit and less junk. At home im always pigging out on on snacks like crisps and chocolate but that urge goes when im on holiday. Well almost goes, on the tenth day I took myself to the shop next door for M and Ms, but couldn't find any, so got a big bar of chocolate instead, realised it was too warm to eat so put it in the mini bar fridge too eat the next day. I come off the beach the next day to find my 2 offspring's wiping chocolate of their chops! I have never been so disappointed in Max since the time he was 7 and thought he was Dearth Vader and took all our fine china ornaments of our fire place in one fell swoop with his light sabre!!

On the running front I ran up loadpot from Pooley Bridge on Monday in a quick time and felt good.
Tuesday I ran on the roads for about six miles steady but felt crap.
Wednesday along with Steve B we ran up from Pooley Bridge to Arthur's Pike and it was a result of this run that has made me realise to not do the Grisedale Horseshoe this Saturday. Too much climbing for me and I would off preferred to of recced it, having not done it for 2 years now.

I'm a bit lost on my running plans at the moment, I want to get quicker and that means running faster and harder on the roads/flat, but at the same time I want to run on the fells. As a result I haven't entered Langdale Marathon - 3 weeks away and I don't think I could drag my arse around for 26 miles.

took this when I was reccying my BG earlier this yeart

So, I need something to aim for, thinking cap on.....

Its the same with my Blog, if I aint got any plans with regards to runs so I find it hard to motivate myself to write, so expect some long silences.